Another week has come and gone. Time flies whether you're having fun or not!
I have been reading nature writing, especially Henry David Thoreau. I have some other writers to sample, such as Barry Lopez and a book of essays by different writers. I want to read a variety and get a notion of how they write their material.
I am not what you would call an environmental activist, but I do believe we have a responsibility to God to be good stewards of the earth. That will be the place I am coming from when I begin my own nature writing. I do not know whether it will fit in the published world, but I will give it a shot!
I do want to promote an enjoyment of nature and science. There is much to learn and it is fascinating! It's a wonder to learn what happens and how things work, or at least how we think they work. Nature is also a great stress reliever--to just get outside and observe the plants and animals is to unwind and let go of life's business--and busyness.
I have always enjoyed botanical drawings and would like to improve my drawing ability so that I can create some of those for my own pleasure. Birds and animals as subjects of art are appealing to me, too, as are landscapes. I also love drawings of old houses and barns.
Sometimes I wish I weren't so interested in so many things!
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4 comments:
I found your blog because I do a regular search on "Nature Writing." I share your frustration with having so many interests! And I have to admit that some of the reason I'm so drawn to nature writing is for stress relief. It's a kind of meditation to read and to write because it focuses my mind on the natural world maybe even more than when I am out in it. I have a blog on nature writing if you're curious! http://onnaturewriting.blogspot.com. I have plans to write about Thoreau and more about Barry Lopez. Have you looked at his landscape dictionary, Home Ground? It's extraordinary.
Yours,
Anna
Anna, thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment and your blog url. I actually came across your blog the other day doing my own search on "nature writing", but I wasn't on my own computer and couldn't bookmark it. I've added a link to your blog in my sidebar here. You don't need to reciprocate, if you don't want to, since I write about other types of writing and not just nature writing. I was glad to see that you have links to Nature Writing Journals on your blog's sidebar--I'll be checking those out, too!
I agree that reading and writing about nature can be a meditation in and of itself. I haven't seen Barry Lopez's landscape dictionary, but I will add it to my list. I have his Artic Dreams and About This Life which I look forward to reading. I've also found a couple of his essays online. So much reading, so little time!!!
I went to Anna Mills link! A whole world at my finger tips going there and the other links. I think try to describe the natural world with words is a Noble Quest. Anna Mills describes books about nature that stimulate the intellect!
I want to read some of the nature Essays of the famous poets of past centuries. I have read some works by Emerson and totally love his style.
Barb, I'm glad you enjoyed Anna's blog--I've been enjoying it, too. I guess we ought to leave her a comment or two!
I love reading nature writing, although I haven't done that much yet. Now I am getting some authors to look for. Thoreau and Emerson are two favorites, and I've been looking at Wendell Berry's writing. There are so many to try!
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